Monday, July 31, 2006

Stop the cruelty!

Anonymous said...
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Sunday, July 30, 2006

Teddy off the Mark as Hammers Defeat Gills 2-1

Two first half goals were enough to seal victory in the first Hammers friendly encounter this season on English soil. Teddy Sheringham got his preseason account off to a start in the 4th Minute as Bowyer swung in a free kick which was headed onto the post by a Gillingham defender only to be slotted home by the effervescent striker. Later in the half, Hayden Mullins stuck with a fierce header to make it 2-0 going into half time.

Andy Hessenhaler celebrating his testimonial was substituted to a raptuous applause by the home support early in the 2nd half before the Gills garbbed a consolation goal.

Interestingly Harewood was used as a right winger in the first half; I hope this is not a sign of things to come because I think he looks far from his best out wide.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Pards: Strikers Going Nowhere!

Alan Pardew has insisted that the club needs five strikers because "the fixtures get quite congested during the Uefa Cup group stages". Love your confidence Alan - superb mate you tell em.

Marlon is the latest Striker to be linked with Newcastle and really the only reason our boys keep being linked with them is because we have 5 decent strikers and Newcastle, well they have F*%& all do they really!

Fletcher Gone to Palace

Crystal Palace have signed Carl Fletcher for £400,000. The 26-year-old Welsh midfielder found himself on the outer of West Ham's side last season and has clearly become surplus to requirements with the acquisition of Lee Bowyer and the continuing progress of Academy graduate Mark Noble.

Carl gave good service to our club. I always thought he was underrated, a good, solid centre mid who fulfilled his role admirably without fuss. He scored the cracking goal I always said he would, and it was against Tottenham. Good onya, Carl, and good luck with the Eagles.

Season Preview!

With the season just a few weeks away I thought is was time for a season preview and predictions for the year ahead for our beloved Hammers.

Last season I predicted a comfortable season for our boys in their first season back in the top flight. And how right was I? Well I said we’d finish the season on 55 points and we finished on exactly that. I also said we’d start with a 3-1 win vs Blackburn and finish with a 2-1 win over the scum – freaky! Ok so I got a few mid season results wrong but overall we were right where I expected us to be in terms of league football. What I was nicely surprised about though was our glorious cup run which took us right to the final minutes of the final itself and a heart stopping penalty shootout. The team captured our hearts and imaginations as they continued to eliminate Premier League opponent after Premier League opponent only to fall so bravely right at the death.

So onto this season.

Transfers so far:

In: Lee Bowyer, Jonathan Spector, Tyrone Mears, Carlton Cole

Out: Shaka Hislop, Chris Cohen, Elliot Ward, Yaniv Katan

I’m still hoping we can add more to the additions list before Aug 19th but although the current list doesn’t show real clout in the transfer market, the important thing is we’ve managed to hold on to some real prospects and now star names. In truth the current team does not need a major overhaul and we have strengthened some much needed areas.

League Prediction:

6th – 63 points

Although I think this is a bold prediction, I feel the chemistry is right at the club right now and we can improve on last season’s league performance. The mouth watering prospect of an entire season of Marlon Harewood and Dean Ashton forming a deadly partnership fills me with hope of a lean mean goal scoring machine. With the quality of Carlton Cole and Bobby Zamora waiting in the wings, these two will be under constant pressure to set the premier league alight this season.

In midfield we have the work rate of Nigel Reo Coker, the speed and trickery of Matty Etherington down the left, and the guile of Yossi Benayoun on the right. Add to this the protection of the back four offered by Haden Mullins and I think we have midfield ready to take on anybody this year. With Lee Bowyer waiting in the wings we have cover for every area of midfield.

Last summer Danny Gabbidon joined the club with fellow Welsh centre half James Collins. Danny has formed a partnership of distinction with Anton Ferdinand at the heart of defence and impressed so much that he picked up the fans’ Hammer of the Year award. Ferdinand spent some of the tail end of last season injured and Collins showed is worth as deputy with some inspiring performances alongside his former Cardiff team mate. At Left back we have Paul Konchesky who also won over the hearts of Hammers fans with his first season at Upton Park. Pardew has taken measures this season to fill the void at right back left by the departure of Tomas Repka in January. Tyrone Mears comes from Preston with similar credentials as Danny Gabbidon’s move from Cardiff and if the move pays off we could have a defence to be proud of for the upcoming season.

After the performance of Shaka Hislop at this summer’s world cup I felt sure that he would be number one at West Ham this year. With his departure I believe it leaves us a little short in this position. Roy Carroll started the season well, but having made a few less appealing appearances followed by a long term injury it remains to be seen if he is up to the role of first choice keeper. As backup Jimmy Walker is much untested at this level as is Stephen Bywater.

Well if Middlesborough can get to the Uefa Cup final then I don’t see why this team can’t. It remains to be seen how we can cope with fixture congestion, but with the extra strength in depth the new signings will offer we should be able to cope with a little squad rotation this year.

Domestic Cup Competitions:

I think Pardew will be taking the cups very seriously this year. He will know how painfully close we came last season to winning our first major trophy in 26 years and will want another bite at that cherry. If we are safe towards the later part of next season I would expect be seeing a different cup side to the league side in the tail end of the season. However with the previously mentioned strength in depth we should be able cope with this a lot better than last season.

whubris said...
Good work there Dave. I do think that Bowyer will start ahead of Mullins - as much as I do like Muggers. If we get Paintsil I think he will start over Mears as well.

I think we will finish 7th or 8th - but I'll be happy with anything inside top 10. West Ham seem to always have a good season, then a bad one.. I want to break that habit. I'm far more confident with this team than any other West Ham team I've seen so I'm in a very optimistic mood for the coming season.

Super Slav in Croatia Hot Seat!

The mighty ex West Ham defender has just been named boss of the Croatian national team. Slaven Bilic who established himself as a rock in the West Ham defence next to Julain Dicks, was a firm favourite during his days in the east end before his controversial departure to Everton.

Hammers fans felt disgruntled that a player would leave for a team who had finished lower than themselves in the league under the pretence of joining a bigger club. However he redeemed himself when he attempted to rejoin the Hammers a couple of seasons later only to fail a medical and was forced to return to his native Coratia with Hajuk Split.

Slaven was known as a more intellectual player and has a law degree to add to his football credentials. I wish him the best of luck in his latest challenge.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Yossi to be Offered New Hammers Contract!

According to Yossi's agent he is about to sign a 5 year improved terms contract with West Ham. Although there are clubs that have shown an interest in his services his agent has said that Yossi is more than happy at West Ham and is likely to sign an extension to his existing 3 year deal on improved terms.

This is good news as it not only underlines Yossi's comitment to the club but also backs up the clubs stance of fighting to hold on to our best players. To me this is a major breakthrough and could be signs that a much maligned board has learnt valuable lessons from its past mistakes.

BrisvegasHammer said...
Totally Agree Dave, he is our X player, like Dicanio Devonshire, Eyal to name the recent, he's the once that can turn and dictate the game.A potential all time WestHam Legend.Wouldn't want that rather than being another Liverpool Squad player?

whubris said...
Dave that is fantastic news - if he does sign then that will be even bigger than Anton's extended contract. That means Yossi should stay till he's about 31, we should have him while he's in his prime. Bloody brilliant news. Very happy about this :-D

Hi Howie, definitely agree with your comments, Yossi is one of those really rare classes of players. He can totally change a game as BVH said, on his day he is like Messi or George Best or anyone else you'd like to name. There's got to be only a couple of dozen players on the planet that can do what Yossi does - if only he did it more often!

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Nice Compilation!

Anonymous said...
"Arsene Wenger has admitted he cannot guarantee that Ashley Cole will be an Arsenal player next season, amid reports that he is considering a bid for West Ham playmaker Yossi Benayoun"

Dave said...
Yes it is the one with dicksy's penalty mate. Deano's goal is in it also. It is number 9. :-)

Anon - what's your source? There have been loads of rumours but I don't think it will happen. Everyone has their price though but I would have a very different outlook for our season if Yossi is not there.

BrisvegasHammer said...
Can't LoseMarlon, Matty, Yossi, Ashton, Anton Danny G, Nige, Bobby, Konch (though there have been no rumours about he or Matty that I've seen.I like the side we have. Another Right Winger would be nice, I can see if we buy this israelie Ghanian, he will effectivly replace Newton as Utility bench man.

BrisvegasHammer said...
I like the Idea how we can rotate players when needed, we have that touch of depth now that we didn't have last season. If we get3-4 injuries we shouldn't struggle plus its nice to see the acadamey spiting out some players that could compete> the First decent bunch sine the Youth Final Kids.Didn't see much of Reid on Fox last year if any??? but his performances sound encouraging, and it would be nice to rest Matty once a while.An that Yossi is comfprtable anywhere in the midfield Pardew nows the where ever he players he will perform, though I can't see him playing in the centre much at all with our depth there, but as a mid game Pardew stroke on Pardewness its an great option to have.A lot of people have been wanting a big name sighing, but where would they fit? What we lacked last year was Depth. Sure we allowed maybe too many goals, but look what we had and how much we will improve.Konch, Granted Prem Exp but first year at the club, though he loves the almightly Irons. He should continue to improve and impress.Gabbs First Prem Season New Club What happened? Player OF the Year,another to improve and impress.Anton only 20 struck up a Fantastic partnership with Gabbs, could of been at the World Cup, a cracking goal and then that goal VS Fulham! Improve and impress? I do think So!Then right back, well I for one was fan of Tomas, he gave it his all in my account. It was sad to see him go. If only he had scored, I would of loved to see the celebration.Scaloni bought in on the last day of the tranfer window on Loan, first game or two was good, then had a long run of ordinary games and got dropped.Won his place back V Scum and played well in the Cup Final.And to replace these two players we have Mears and most probaly Pantsil. So in reality we have 3 very settled backs with one place to fill between 2 players, and I haven't even got to Jonathon Spector, Clive Clarke And James Collins.The future is bright for us Hammers I feel, the future is bright.

Hammers Leave Sweden on High Note!

Goals from Bobby Z, Dean Ashton and Yossi Benayoun were enough to see the Hammers trhough a 3-1 victory against Ljungskile SK in their final game of the Preseason tour of Sweden. Good to see those 3 starting preseason so well with the 2 strikers getting 2 goals a piece in our 3 game endeavour. West Ham however started on the backfoot as they went down to an early goal, a 1-0 scoreline which remained that way at half time. Six minutes into the 2nd half Ashton struck a clinical right footed shot into the far corner to grab an equaliser. Pards made wholesale changes in the 58th minute including the introduction of Zamora who struck the goal just 8 minutes later to give West Ham the lead. The best goal of the evening however was saved til last as Yossi Benayoun on the edge of the penalty area curled a superb left-footed effort into the top corner.

Another positive from this game is the form and enthusiasm of Mark Noble, who was made captain for the first time. He was instrumental in creating both Ashton and Zamora's goals. Mark barely had a sniff last season but seems raring to go and up for the challenge of forcing his way into the first team for the upcoming season. I had high hopes for him last year after hitting the ground running in the Championship in his first season as a pro. It would be good to see him rise to the challenge this year and get more appearances under his belt.

whubris said...
Funny, I posted something earlier but it didn't come up. Anyway, it's nice to see Yossi back in good form, and Z-man getting on the scoresheet again. Clive Clarke also got a start, which suggests that he will be staying with the club - I reckon he's worth keeping based on what little I've seen of him.

Best of all as you say is Mark Noble, I keep telling my missus that he's going to be brilliant but she doesn't see it. He really has an enormous potential and I'll be chuffed if/when he does make it in the Prem... for WHUFC of course!

Monday, July 24, 2006

Anton Injury Not So Bad.

Anton's scan has revealed a minor strain and it is thought he will return to full training within 2 weeks. This will come as a relief to Alan Pardew as he is short of defenders at the minute with Danny Gabbidon also fighting for fitness and is yet to start a preseason game. Hopefully we can start the season with a full squad to chose from so we can get off to a flyer vs Charlton at Upton Park come August 19th.

Reports in the Portuguese press insist that West Ham are readying a €5 million (£3 million) bid for Portugal international goalkeeper Ricardo.

The shot-stopper plays his club football for Sporting Lisbon and is well-known to English audiences having helped dump the Three Lions out of both Euro 2004 and this summer's World Cup finals in penalty shoot-outs.

Indeed, the 30-year-old was voted as one of the outstanding keepers for his displays in Germany where he conceded only two goals in five games - one of those a penalty from Zinedine Zidane.

West Ham are in the market for a new goalkeeper having allowed Shaka Hislop to join American MLS outfit Dallas.

Boss Alan Pardew - eager to build on a successful first campaign back in the top-flight - is looking to provide competition for Roy Carroll and now looks set to launch an ambitious raid for Ricardo.

However, he would appear to have his work cut out to manufacture a deal as the player himself has spoken of his happiness at Sporting.

"I feel very good at Sporting who, for me, are one of the best clubs in the world," he told Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola.

"I feel proud to be considered one of the best goalkeepers at the World Cup but I repeat, I am at one of the best clubs in the world.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

NFI against IFK!

Okay so the headline is a little harsh but we have just played out a 2-1 loss in Sweden against a team who only last week lost 1-0 to Derry City in the UEFA Cup. I beleive this was mainly due to the use of many younger fringe players in the squad and as it happens we finished the game with 4 teenagers in Midfield - Kyel Ried, Hogan Ephraim, Mark Noble & Tony Stokes.

We started brightly and went ahead early from a goal by Bobby Zamora. IFK equalised just before half time and went on to grab a last minute winner to finish the game 2-1. Positives are that Marlon got his first game under his belt and Zamora scored a well taken goal. However this is soured not only by the result but the fact that Anton Ferdinand went off after 25 minutes with a strained hamstring. He has gone home for a scan and it is not known if he will be fit for the start of the season. This is a huge blow as Danny Gabbidon is currently nursing an injury and did not travel to Sweden with the lads. Pards will have to tinker with the side a little for the final game in the tour of Sweden this week.

Also contrary to reports that James Walker has left the club he started in this game. Not sure where you got your info from Graham but Tony and I were a little confused because we swear you said he had left?

Our biggest worry ATM is that if neither Danny G or Anton are playing then they won't be fit for the next season - I reckon they'll be in action by then but Pardew obviously takes fitness very seriously. We may even see Mullins at CB again, briefly, especially if Bowyer gets a start.

Dave said...
I should've also said John Painstil played in this game and apparently gave a good account for himself. Contrary to reports that he has signed, he is just on trial so Pardew can have a look at him - no deal has been agreed ATM.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Trolls 0 - 2 Hammers

The Hammers have got their friendly pre-season tour off to a start with a win over Trollhattens. Goals from James Collins & Dean Ashton were enough to seal a 2-0 victory. The game started with a strike partnership of Teddy & Carlton and were swapped after an hour for Deano & Bobby Z with the former getting on the scoresheet after a mazy run from young Kyel Reid.

No sign of Marlon Harewood so perhaps he will feature vs IFK Goteborg this weekend. I think Goteborg will prove sturner opponents than the trolls and will be interesting to see how that match pans out. It's all about fitness at this stage though and results hardly matter so it is good to see many first teamers get some valuable minutes under their belts and come through injury free. New signings Mears & Bowyer also got given a run out.

If he had done a couple of lines of bugle prior to the game, he would almost certainly have run on to the pitch believing he was the best and most popular player in the world, tried about 6 volleys at goal from the half way line followed by an overhead kick in his own area, tried to pull a 'looker' in the crowd before pulling up with a stitch and going back to sit in the dressing room with his head in his hands thinking everybody hates him.

If that's not affecting a performance I don't know what is...Martin Tibbetts

Thursday, July 20, 2006

*sticky* A message to all the anonymous posters and lurkers out there...

*** THIS POST IS STICKY - SCROLL DOWN TO SEE NEW ITEMS ***

We’d love to know more about you and what you think about this site. Please post a comment on this thread telling us a little about yourself i.e. your name, where you’re from and Hammers connection etc and tell us what you think of the site.

Also have you considered registering with blogspot? That way we could interact between users and add diversity to the overall site contribution.

We’d also be very interested in anybody who would be willing and able to make an intelligent contribution in the form of articles. If you'd like to do this please email whubris on whubris@aapt.net.au. Contributions from Australia, England, or anywhere in the world are welcome if they are all about the club we love, West Ham United.

For all you Brisbane based Hammers, email brisbanehammers@hotmail.com to join the mailing list (don't worry, we hardly ever email anything out, just a couple of times a year when we have a gathering.) Other Hammers, check out the "Contacts" menu on the left to find local Hammers groups. If you would like to start a local Hammers supporters group or are a member of one, email whubris@aapt.net.au and whubris will put your details under this menu item.

To our knowledge there are only a handful of regular readers who comment on here which is inconsistent with our hit counter which has proudly surpassed the 10k mark. So please step up and introduce yourselves :-)

Anonymous said...
SMH.COM.AU This may be a new era in Australia's appreciation of football and new media, writes Julian Lee.

NOT content with watching the FIFA World Cup in record numbers on television, Australians flocked to the internet to hoover up coverage, blogging, tipping, streaming videos and catching up on the news while the traditional media slept, quite literally.

Figures due out later this week will confirm that up to half a million people - or 6 per cent of the online population - visited World Cup websites each day of the tournament, boosting visitors to sport sites by as much as 75 per cent.

Lachlan Brahe, general manager, media operations, of online media buyer emitch, says: "I think it will be fair to say that all major publishers will have increased their audience but the most significant thing is that the number of page impressions [how much they viewed] will have also increased."

Brahe says the amount of advertising dollars spent on the medium rose during the tournament but declined to say by how much.

Although the number of Australians going to the web for cup coverage was dwarfed by countries with a more ingrained football culture such as Brazil, Germany and Britain, observers are citing the World Cup as a turning point in consumer behaviour.

When it came to watching videos on the web, anything remotely linked to football was a major drawcard.

Nielsen Net Ratings senior analyst Andrew Eckford says that while the figures might represent "a modest uplift" in the number of people going online, they are likely to be spending longer there and viewing more.

"It's an event that has made for a far more intense visitation and usage of sport and news websites by online consumers," he says. "Longer term I would say that it's making the internet the first point of contact for contemporary events - it's made it the preferred medium for up-to-the minute information."

Nielsen found that while the usual spikes in traffic remained - morning, lunchtime and early evening before people left work - the cup created its own peak hour of late evening.

"If there was no newspaper for 12 hours or nothing on the TV for a couple of hours, people were turning to the web in the lead-up to the game," Eckford says. All the games were played in the early hours of the morning Australian time.

Mobile phone operator Hutchison 3, which had the rights to stream video highlights to its subscribers' handsets, was surprised by the volumes. "What fascinated us is how many people watched it on their phones and for how long - this is while the match was actually taking place in the early hours of the morning," 3 spokeswoman Liz Rex says. "Up to and including the Australia versus Brazil match we had 300,000 streams but then it grew steadily to more than 800,000."

While there was no disputing the dominance of TV - 8.8 million people or 63 per cent of Australia's five capital cities' viewing population tuned into SBS - the web became the home of the football nerd. Minutiae such as player and team statistics, the latest odds, tipping competitions and fantasy team draws all lured more people to the web than other media. It also drew more women and a broader demographic, according to Nielsen's research.

The amount of video streamed from some of the major sites surpassed expectations even though football's governing body, FIFA, restricted what could be broadcast over the net. Yahoo! had a global deal with FIFA to show highlights for the first time in the tournament's history and locally Yahoo!7 negotiated a deal with local football authorities for the Socceroos.

Globally more than 31 million videos of football coverage were streamed from Yahoo! in the first 10 days, the latest figures available. Not that those restrictions seemed to matter; fans snapped up anything that fed the appetite for World Cup fever.

Ninemsn's video diary by a Dutch comic act called Boomchicago and a video diary by a roving reporter pulled in 200,000 video streams, making it into ninemsn's top four video categories for the period.

Andy Mallinson, managing director of online media agency NextX, says: "One of the real winners were peripheral services not directly related to any sponsorship to the World Cup such as BigPond's use of Roy and HG, who didn't directly have World Cup rights but they were able to create compelling content online and on mobiles which people were prepared to download in their droves.

"Are we seeing here the future of sports commentary and sports broadcasting online? Is the web now becoming the place for sport analysis - be it comedic or serious?"

Fairfax Digital ended the tournament with an unprecedented 700,000 views of videos, again relying on anything but live coverage to entertain viewers. Wraps after the games overlaid with live crosses to Sydney Morning Herald reporters and pundits still managed to get 36,361 viewers.

Fairfax Digital's national sales director, Liam Walsh, says that with the Ashes cricket and the English Premier League soccer on the horizon, video is the way to go.

"We will increase our video. There's a real appetite for it and we can do that for the Ashes," he says.

Now media buyers are asking if they can retain that audience.

Walsh believes so. "That audience is only going to grow - they are not going to go away. There are another 6 million people out there who have yet to come online and sport is going to be a growth area."

Given that AFL and NRL still managed to be among the top three sporting websites during the World Cup, it remains to be seen whether soccer will be a one-hit wonder on the web.

"Hopefully the Australian soccer stakeholders can capitalise on this period to further grow interest in the sport," Nielsen's Eckford says.

whubris said...
yeah, it's OK - I'd say lower level Championship to League One quality. It's a good league, at least most people I know enjoyed it. Crowds averaged about 12,000 across the league from what I remember - Qld Roar and Sydney averaged about 14-15,000. Be a few years before it's considered one of the best in the world methinks :-)

Deano: I'm flattered

Hammers striker Dean Ashton has made some nebulous comments about the interest shown by Newcastle on his diary at icons.com. "There is a rumour flying around that I won't be here next season because Newcastle apparently want me. The first I heard of it was when one of my mates texted me saying 'have you seen the story in the paper', so it's hard to comment on something I know nothing about. I'm just looking it as pure speculation. Newcastle are a massive club, it's flattering, but I haven't given it any thought. There's no point me shouting about it at all. All I'm doing is concentrating on pre-season and getting myself fit. That is the main thing for me. I'm happy at West Ham, I've enjoyed it here for the last six months and I can't wait for the season to begin." Keeping his options open, it appears.

Meanwhile, Deano seems to have spent his holiday recovering from the previous season. "I had quite a bit of time off over the summer because I felt really tired at the end of last season. It'd been a long 18 months for me and I needed the rest. I went to Cyprus on holiday, relaxed, and have come back feeling really refreshed."

He's finding West Ham's regime to be pretty strenuous, but controlled as well. "I did a bit of work before I came back for pre-season training to make sure I was in OK shape, but I'm still not enjoying it at all. I hate the running! It's my first pre-season at West Ham, and the main difference from what I've experienced at other clubs is that it's much more technical and there is a lot more biomechanics involved. It's not a case of 'there's a hill, run up it'. Here, we are all linked up to monitors all the time, and our oxygen intake and heart rates are constantly being measured. I'm happy at West Ham. I've enjoyed it here for the last six months."

He added, "I'm really looking forward to next season. It'll be the first time I've begun a season in the Premiership and that's something I'm really excited about. And the main thing for me is to be consistent at this level next season. That's what I want. Playing in Europe is just a bonus. Hopefully the team can push on from last season's achievement and possibly earn a place in Europe through our league position. We've certainly got the squad for it. We've not lost anyone, we've added to it in fact, and things are really looking up."

Dave said...
Like you say he's keeping his options open. In reality he should be saying something like "why would I want to join Newcastle - I'm already at a big club which has just played out a 3-3 draw in a cup final".

Your choice Deano, you can become an improved player under Pardew or join that clown Roeder and destroy your football education.

Why should he be flattered by Newcastle FFS? They are not even as good as us let alone better. Without Owen and Shearer they are shite!

Newton suspended

Shaun Newton has been suspended until Christmas after testing positive for cocaine after the FA Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough.

Alan Pardew is understandably livid about this breach of his trust. "It infuriates me to hear of drug-use in any sport - there is absolutely no place for it," he said. "It is a belief I have always held, so for it to occur at West Ham United is something that hurts and saddens me. Myself and my sports scientists, Niall Clarke, feel very let down. Although we will continue to help and support Shaun through this difficult time we are also acutely aware of our responsibilities as a club and he will face internal disciplinary action."

However, the West Ham boss will not be following previous examples such as those of Mutu and Bosnich, who had their contracts cancelled by their clubs. Newton will see out his one-year contract and the club will help him through this difficult time.

Pardew said, "I can say now that, as a football club, we will stand by Shaun throughout this difficult time. West Ham United has always had a reputation as a family club and our belief here is that when a member of your family is in trouble you look after them. Our instinct is to support Shaun and his young family and give them all the help and encouragement we can. We will work with him to help him get through this period, and ensure that he comes through the other side. I have seen at first hand the emotional and personal hell that Shaun Newton has been through in recent weeks, and our priority must be to help him - not abandon him. I hope his experience serves as a lesson to any sportsperson."

Newton, who has an otherwise excellent disciplinary record, has put forth a public apology. "I have let down my family, my friends, the club and its supporters - and for that I am truly sorry," said the winger. "It was an isolated incident but I must face up to my responsibilities. I in no way condone the taking of drugs and hope that my experience will act as a deterrent to others."

Newton will be available for the Premiership game against Fulham on December 23 after the FA back-dated his seven-month ban to May 20.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Piss off, Newcastle!

Those annoying rumours about Ashton becoming part of Roeder's claret and blue army (at least when they're away.. check out their new away shirt) just won't go away. The price is still £10 million but Pardew said, "He's settled in well and has just bought a house. I can guarantee he will be going nowhere."

Apparently Pardew's looking at John Pantsil, a 25-year-old Ghanaian right-back. He plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv and the touted price is £750,000. He played in the World Cup apparently but I can't remember him. Sounds like he's either a bit of a wind-up merchant or a bit naive going off the following exerpt from TEAMtalk: "Pantsil, a committed Christian, caused controversy in Germany when he produced an Israeli flag during a goal celebration against the Czech Republic - a gesture that provoked protests from certain parts of the Arab world like Palestine and Egypt. The Ghanaian FA was forced to apologise, with Pantsil claiming he only wanted to show his appreciation to Israeli fans who had supported him in his career." Pantsil has joined West Ham on their tour of Sweden.

Speaking of which, technical director Niall Clark is insisting that the three friendlies against Swedish clubs are just training-ground run-arounds. As we all know Pardew places a lot of emphasis on physical fitness and this paid off last season with the team getting more points coming from behind than anyone else in the Premiership. The Swedish tour is intended to get the team in peak condition for the coming season. "This isn't a holiday," said Clark. "The lads will all be working very hard, and the matches certainly won't be spectacles of entertainment or flowing football - they are arranged purely to monitor and gauge the players' fitness levels. We will be picking the team and making substitutions based on how many minutes each individual player needs according to their current physical condition. As the week goes on, we will study the amount of football each have played, and adapt their programmes to ensure they continue to progress in the correct way. It's really not until the last couple of pre-season friendlies that we begin to seriously study performance and tactical issues. The players are out in Sweden solely to continue their fitness programme, and the trip will play a very important part in their development ahead of the new season."

Dave said...
I've heard the Ashton Rumours for a good few days and haven't posted anything myself cos I've been ignoring them and hoiping they just go away. :-)

But yeah fuck off Roeder you rat faced cunt!

Deano is a hammer - why would we break our transfer record and then sell 6 months later for a few quid more than we paid - don't make sense. I can see Deano leaving West Ham at some point but it will be to the likes of Man U or Chelsea and the fee will be some 20 million!! He will be at West Ham when the transfer window closes I am sure.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Hammers to Sign Aussie Star?

According to the rags in England Alan Pardew is trying to persuade Blackburn to release Brett Emerton for a cut price fee of 1.5m pounds. Whether this materialises or not remains to be seen but this is one rumour we had to cover. Brett had a good world cup for Australia although he missed the final game versus Italy due to suspension. At 1.5m he could be a good signing. From what I've seen over the last few years he has been a little indifferent and has struggled to find the form that shot him to the limelight with Dutch side Feyenoord. If anybody can get the best out of him it'd be Pardew so if we can snare him on the cheap it'll be another valuable addition to the squad.

whubris said...
He had a cracking good WC, no doubt - one of our best players. But I wouldn't want him at West Ham. You know the old saying that the first half a yard is in your brain? Well he's half a yard behind everyone else. Not that I'm saying he's dumb, not at all, he just doesn't have a footballing brain IMO. He's incredibly fit, and fleet of foot when he wants to be, but he just gets caught out too often defensively, and when he has the ball, he's far too indecisive. Too often he chooses the safe, backwards or sideways pass - he delays too long on the ball and gets closed down so he's forced to go back. When he does get a cross in, sometimes they're good, sometimes they're not. Often he appears to be putting in little effort and can go missing. Don't get me wrong, the guy had a great World Cup, and if we could get him cheap (I mean a LOT cheaper than 1.5m) and if Pardew can instruct him properly, he might be OK. If he can do well under Hiddink, maybe Pardew can get the best out of him.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Scaloni Wants to Come Back!

Thanks for your efforts last season Lionel but no thanks. If you beleive what you read then apparently we are tabling a 2 million bid to bring Scaloni to Upton Park on a permanent basis. He has reportedly said he only wants to play for West Ham next season and has no interest in returning to la liga.

As a person I think he's great. He's lively in the dressing room and wants to do well. But his footballing abilities are very limited and he had alot more bad games than good last season. Fair to judge a player on six months of football? Maybe not but I think I've seen enough. IMO we should spend the money elsewhere.

* Reports have resurfaced regarding Liverpool's interest in Yossi Benayoun. Yossi has been talking in the Israeli press of their interest and saying that if they made an effort to sign him their overtures would be hard to resist. Sounds to me like you're trying to engineer a move Yossi me old son. I've always thought he'd be a judas as soon as a big club somes sniffing and I still hold that reservation. I really hope he stays because he engineers so much that is good through the current West Ham team. But if we're expecting loyalty I don't think we're gonna get it here.

** Pards insists Bobby Z is not for sale - in fact none of our strikers are. AP has stated that all 5 strikers will start on an even keel at the start of the season and all will have a roll to play throughout the season. Makes sense as the 4 we had on board last season had their golden moments.

*** We have taken on Alan Curbishley's right hand man at Charlton, Keith Peacock as Senior coach. Pards has been well documented with regards to his eye for a good backroom staff so again we must trust his judgement here.

Anonymous said...
well, Scaloni was good enough to play for Argentina - he even started in the knockout phase against Mexico, and did well !You have to remember that he wouldnt be 1st choice with Mears here so it wouldnt be a bad signing, better than Dailly for cover you must admit.

Sven-Goran Eriksson wanted West Ham's Anton Ferdinand to join England's World Cup stand-by list as a replacement for the injured Luke Young.

But the England coach's phone call to the Hammers centre-back came 24 hours too late as the player had just undergone a double hernia operation.

Although Ferdinand would not have been required for World Cup duty, the chance to link up with the squad before they flew to Germany would have been a valuable experience for the 21-year-old.

'It was about a week after the FA Cup final and I was just sitting at home when my phone rung. It was Sven asking if I would like to join up with the squad on standby,' said Ferdinand, who travelled to Germany to watch older brother Rio in England's group matches.

'I was shocked at first. Unfortunately I had to say no because I'd had a double hernia operation the day before.

'Sven didn't know about that and said it was unfortunate, but wished me all the best for the future.

'It was a bit upsetting to think that having the operation cost me the chance of joining up with England.'

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Back to normal

It's been a crazy month but finally the World Cup is over. Italy have been just barely good enough to lift it, and France have been too intermittent. There's one thing that we will all bring home from this tournament: cheating will get you a long way. Portugal, Italy, and France have all been very guilty of this. I was looking forward to the last match, but Henry's histrionics in the first minute of the final set the scene for a disappointing game. After barely being brushed against he went down, as the commentator said, "like he'd been hit by a truck" and put on a big show of having some kind of head injury. Well, I'm hoping somebody gives him one after that carry-on. Then a shameful dive, once again without any contact, led to a penalty. Later, the linesman came into it with a dubious offside call when Italy had the ball in the net. France might have dominated the game but for me, Italy scored two goals and France scored only through a dodgy penalty. Justice, for this game at least, was done in the end. I must say though that I feel for Trezeguet - hardly a kick all through the tournament and now he must take the blame for his penalty miss.

"On me 'ead, son!"

Zidane has been named the player of the tournament, which goes to show what a joke this "honour" really is. He went missing for the first few matches, then had two superb games, and then a very average final, topped off by a foolish and in-character send-off. Cannavaro, on the other hand, was superb for the entire competition and did not even pick up a single yellow card. Is it a coincidence that Zidane and the Golden Ball award are both sponsored by Adidas?

Zamora is rumoured to be leaving, but I doubt it's true. The official site has published this denial, and I think he'll stay. Sheringham is hardly first choice any more and I think Pardew will want to create a Zamora/Cole partnership.

norven munky said...
Why have Italy been branded cheats in this tournament?

Because of the last minute penalty against Australia? In the cold hard light of day that was indeed a penalty. Grosso had done Lucas Neill like a dinner. Neill went down and didn't get the ball. Grosso turned the ball around him and then went after it. Sure he went down a little easily but he's entitled too, he had turned the ball past Neill and was off after it only to have his progress impeded by a player on the ground at his feet....that sequence of events would see a penalty in every club competition on the planet virtually every time. And deservedly so.

And for ther rest of the World Cup I didn't see much evidence of Italy diving or cheating at all. And yet they are getting tarred with that brush from all and sundry in Oz.

If you want to crucify them with anything then you could suggest they should have been more attack minded but cheating is wide of the mark in the '06 World Cup

Dave said...
Also I think you're being very harsh on Zidane, a player that has been exceptional throughout his career. He had a silly moment but from what I saw it looked like initially Marco Materazzi nipple crippled him (pinched his nipple) and went after him baiting him and shit. Zidane was very silly but I'd prefer to remember him for his brilliant contribution to world football over the last 15 years than that moment.

whubris said...
Norven, I didn't call them cheats. I don't even include the Australia penalty in my assessment, I don't think it was THAT bad a dive anyway. There are statistics around that show that Italy were the worst lot of divers - although I reckon France and especially Portugal were much worse. My original post focused on France's cheating. Italy didn't really do it in the final, but they had done it before a number of times. I will say this: Italy deserved to be in the final, they didn't go through solely by being cheats. I just think that it's a blight on the game and I would like to have seen them be a little more sporting.

Dave, I'm not being hard on ZZ, there's nothing I said there that isn't true. Not to take away from his ability by any means, he's a fabulous player, among the best ever without a doubt. But IMO that headbutt was just stupid. He may have lost the WC for his team by doing that. I don't care what Materazzi said - ZZ should be experienced and professional enough to let it go and pay him back by taking the WC in his own hands. Materazzi is not the most savoury character at the best of times so I'm not defending what he did, I just think ZZ really lost the plot. He's got history - he stamped on someone in 98 and got a 2 game ban, and I think he headbutted someone in Euro as well. He's been known to have a temper on him. Unavoidably he will be remembered for that as well as his amazing football ability. History can be cruel, but it was his final game and the chance go go out in style and he made the wrong decision.

whubris said...
actually I will add about the Australia penalty, that I don't think it was a penalty - I think it was an indirect free kick for impeding but not a penalty (the Laws of the Game say that impeding is an IFK and I don't think it was an actual foul). Having said that, if I were on the spot, I would have given it as a penalty as well, and I don't hold any grudge against Italy for it. IMO he made a meal of it but not nearly as big a meal as some of the other dives we've seen.

Dave said...
I accept what you say G but answer this - if you were headbutted in the chest, would you fall over backwards and roll around like a little girl? I think people should be concentrating more on giving MM shit for his pathetic stage show than ZZ's actions. Let's get diving and play acting out of football.

whubris said...
Dave - not sure how hard he was actually hit, but yeah, he did appear to make the most of it. I wouldn't say that it was worse than being headbutted, as it's not going to result in any physical harm to anyone, but it's unpleasant for sure.

I do admire footballers that just get on with it - Rooney is one, and Southgate is another (in the FA Cup he took a big whack from Marlon Harewood and just kept going). Danny G is another one that comes to mind. Players that roll around like idiots get no respect from me. It's a man's game.

You say Materazzi isn't getting any shit for what he did... true enough but neither is Henry after his play acting in the first few minutes of the game. I'd go so far as to say that something like that was planned by France for tactical reasons prior to the match. It was a bloody disgrace.

norven munky said...
Dave a) I wanna remember zezou for the years of skill he has given the game too. b) I agree cheating and diving and playacting need urgent attention. But MM was poleaxed by ZZ's butt. Fucking hell he smashed him. I don't think MM saw it coming at all...he was prolly expecting ZZ to give him a shove or poke his fingure in his face and shout at him, but a butt in the chest? He had no idea. Would you? One of the games most experienced players who has played at that level for an eternity has a brain snap and butts you? You just would not pick that coming at ya. No way.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

LED Display Advertising Boards at Upton Park

In a move that will not please a lot of fans West Ham will one of 4 premiership clubs to have LED advertising boards this season. The Ilford Recorder reported yesterday that the multi million pound boards should be in place in time for the opening game against Charlton on Aug 17.

"Some supporters think they can be distracting but I can assure them it won't be and it allows us to talk to brands that we have never been able to even get into a meeting with before."

The Recorder also has some interesting info in this article about West Ham commercial director and now board member Scott Duxbury who was responsible for bring the new advertising boards to the Boleyn.

"From the playing side the team was almost at the end of what I call the'fat cat' era where money was just swamping into football and I don't think you had to be particularly prudent commercially or indeed with your players' contracts - the money was always there," he reflected.

"We had a big squad with lots of players who, in my opinion, were earning a lot of money but weren't at the top of their game. So there was a massive wage bill and then the team got relegated...."

Dave said...
Anon - it will mate - have you not watched a game with those advertising boards around the perimeter of the pitch? There in loads of the european games. It's really distracting. I'm sure that is what they are going to implement.

whubris said...
Dave and Munky are right, it's the advertising boards around the pitches - I also heard about it a few weeks back.

yeah, it pisses me off as well. I always notice it with matches at Old Trafford - very distracting. If they'd change it so that they only changed the picture during breaks in play it wouldn't be so bad, but they often change it during play which is really awful.

Ideally, they'd have fixed advertising in the first half, then alternate advertising in the second. That way all the right advertisers get their screen time without distracting viewers too much.

Does Pardew Sleep???

Apparently not. It is night time over in Ingerland but that has not deterred Pards from completing the signing of Tyrone Mears from Preston for a fee of 2M. What a busy day for the Hammers. I've said before I know little about this guy but we have to trust Pards' intuition on this one - he's been right before, so I'm sure he will again.

Transfer News - Loads of it!

* First of all West Ham have made their 3rd signing of the summer. Carlton Cole has signed for an undisclosed fee from Chelsea. It seems the Chavs are unloading a large chunk of their fringe players and we are the latest benefactors signing the promising young 21 year old striker.

** Wigan have rejected our 4M bid to land Chimbonda as out of hand. They have hinted the size of the fee does not match their valuation leaving the door ajar for a return bid. Come on Pards up your money before the yids come a sniffin'.

*** We are beleived to be in talks with Preston over Tyrone Wears. Personally I've never heard of him but many Preston fans say he's the ducks nuts whilst others remain unconvinced. I trust Pards' instinct - that's why he's on the banner. :-)

**** Shaka has left Upton Park!!! This is a great shock to me as I thought he'd be number one this year after a fantastic world cup with the Carribean minnows Trinidad. He has left for America's MLS. So is Pards to bring in a new keeper??? Will flappy Carroll be number 1? ooooh let's see.

***** In other news Lee Bowyer has been fined by the courts for his behaviour on the pitch when he was involved in that altercation with Kieran Dyer. 600 quid - bet he's devastated ;-)

whubris said...
Yeah, I'd expect Carroll to be our #1, but I'm surprised that both Shaka and Jimmy have left - one would have been OK, but not both. Is Bywater going to be asked to step up again? It'd be good to see him do well.

Dave said...
That's really wierd - when I first posted my report yours wasn't there. The Young report was underneath it yet yours was clearly posted a few minutes before mine. Yours must've taken longer to publish?? Maybe the time is when you first click "write an article" and you took longer to write yours than I did mine?

Carlton Cole in; Shaka out

Alan Pardew has completed the signing of 22-year-old Chelsea striker Carlton Cole (pictured left). The lad has been plying his trade on loan for various Premiership clubs in the last couple of years and has now made a permanent move to the East End for a reported fee of around £2 or £3 million.

Not a bad move - worth the risk IMO. We needed another striker to partner Zamora - Teddy, bless 'im, just won't last the distance next season with all the games we'll be playing. I like the way Pardew has played the forwards in partnerships - Harewood/Ashton and Zamora/Sheringham. Football's all about partnerships and I can see Cole playing very well alongside Zamora. It's a risk, yes - he might not perform, but it's a calculated risk and we could well have another star on our hands. I was impressed by Cole a few years ago when I saw him play - haven't seen him much since though.

* Shaka Hislop is moving to America. The T&T keeper - who we all count as equally English, if not more - is retiring to DC Dallas. I really wish him the best of luck - a fantastic keeper, one of my all time favourites, and a top bloke as well. "This is an exciting new challenge for me," said the big fella. "I went to school in the United States and have a lot of respect for soccer [sic] in the country. I look forward to bringing my experience to a great organisation and help FC Dallas win championships in America." FC Dallas is currently at the top of the MLS Western Division "ladder" (table) midway through their season.

* Wigan have rejected a reported £4 million bid for Pascal Chimbonda. I can't see Pardew paying any more than that, so he's hopefully eyeballing someone else.

That picture of Carlton Cole was priceless. Truly very funny, thank you for cheering me up -- i've been a bit down since THAT team just won the world cup. I'm pretty sure something was said, Zidane wouldn't lose the plot over nothing and that just sticks in my craw ... if i have a craw that is.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Young Enough to Stay at Charlton!

It has been confirmed that Luke Young will be staying at Charlton after lengthy discusions with new manager Iain Dowie. This must be a huge blow to Alan Pardew as decent quality right backs have been moving in the last couple of weeks whilst Pards has been persistent with his man. I assume Glen Johnson would have been his plan B but last week he completed his transfer to rejoin Harry Redknapp down in Portsmouth. Plan C could possibly have been Germany's Robert Huth but he also completed a move away from Chelsea by agreeing terms with Middlesboro early in the transfer window. So who will Pardew now turn his attentions to? Danny Mills? Could be a worthy stop gap but will not have a long future ahead of him. So maybe Spector may get his chance earlier than expected unless we can pull off an coup overseas - I'm concerned we'll end up with another Scaloni.

*In other news, Pardew has made clear that any attempts to sign Marlon Harewood are futile as he is a hero at West Ham and is going nowhere.

**Now the World Cup is over (we'll just pretend that's the case) I thought I'd design a new site banner. Pards is the main man these days and I think he deserves centre stage. :-)

***Apparently Wayne Rooney is appealing his red card vs Portugal. That in itself says to me that he did not intentionally stamp on Carvalho. I actually feel sorry for Rooney in this instance - he is a grade A arsehole at the best of times but I think this latest incident is a joke.

whubris said...
Nice banner Dave. You didn't waste any time! The World Cup IS over, for most people reading this anyway...

Shame about Young. Pardew was putting all his eggs in that basket I think. No idea who else we could get. I'd love to get Cicinho but I don't think Real Madrid are selling :-) Anyone else at the WC worth looking at? I've been very impressed by Odonkor but he's a winger (we do need one but need the money for a right back).

The 23-year-old defender joined Preston from Manchester City in the summer of 2002 and has gone on to become a key figure for the Deepdale side as they have reached the play-offs in the last two Championship seasons.

Charlton Athletic were also linked with Mears but West Ham look set to tie up a deal within the next day or so.

Dave said...
I know nothing about this tyrone mears chap. 3m sounds like a hell of a lot for a championship player - especially when you consider we got Collins & Gabbs for that last year. TBH I've never heard of the guy.

Also (quote from football.co.uk): Tye was signed by former manager Craig Brown when he was plying his trade in the Manchester City youth team.A right back by trade who has struggled with injury's but has know made himself a favourite at deepdale.Tye is regarded as one of the fastest players around when he is in full flow and it comes in handy when he is supporting the midfield going forward

West Ham sign Mears as Young deal falters By Jason Burt Published: 05 July 2006 West Ham United have signed Tyrone Mears from Preston North End for a fee thought to be around £1.5m. The Premiership club turned to the 23-year-old right-back following the surprise collapse of the deal to secure Luke Young from Charlton Athletic.

Ironically Mears, who has signed a four-year deal, was regarded as a target for Charlton once Young had completed his expected move to Upton Park. However, the transfer is understood to have collapsed on Friday evening with concerns being expressed over the results of Young's medical. The 26-year-old defender is recovering from an ankle injury which ended his hopes of making England's World Cup squad. He is now set to sign a new contract at Charlton.

Mears travelled to London on Monday to hold talks with the West Ham manager Alan Pardew. His arrival ends the Hammers' search for a new right-back following Tomas Repka's return to the Czech Republic in January.

West Ham United have made a £4m bid for Pascal Chimbonda, the France international full-back who asked Wigan Athletic for a transfer at the end of last season.Although that offer has been rejected it makes Alan Pardew's club favourites to sign him because they are significantly closer to Wigan's £6m asking price than were Tottenham Hotspur, who had a £3m bid rejected and have failed to improve on it.

Monday, July 03, 2006

It's all gone quiet...

Well, the silence from Dave is almost deafening. For once, England played OK, but now they're out. Commiserations to all, of course. I hate to see talent go to waste.

They were, and are, a fantastic team and I personally lay the blame at the feet of Sven Goran Eriksson. Despite five-odd years of having the power and (you'd think) the brains to craft some of the world's best players into a world beating squad, he has turned them into a very, very ordinary side.With a decent manager, and the same players, England could have won the World Cup, but time and again Eriksson has cost them by pissing about with the squad, tactics, and maybe the biggest talent killer of all, motivation. Until it was too late, they had no spirit or drive. It looked like they had no trust in each other or Eriksson.

One of the most regretful things the Swede has done is fail to curb Rooney's temper. The youngster's petulant display on the sidelines would prompt most coaches to take him into a soundproofed room and beat the living snot out of him with a length of rubber hose. Not Eriksson, who continued to sing his praises as the saviour of English football and conveniently ignore his outbursts. Sure enough, as everyone predicted, Rooney's temperament got the better of him and it cost his team a big, big match. Unfortunately, his team this time was England, and it was the biggest match they've had in years.

Right now the English media (and many fans) harbour deep resentment towards Cristiano Ronaldo, who of course protested Rooney's actions to the referee. It's a shame that few are worrying about the fact that once again Rooney has let the red mist cloud his vision and viciously stamped on an opponent. Ronaldo was understandably defending his teammate. His Portugal teammate. If the roles were reversed and Ronaldo had stamped on, say, Gerrard, Rooney would have decked him there and then. (By the way, ignore the biased reports, such as the shameful Reuters one on theworldgame.com.au, that Ronaldo had run 40 yards to protest to the referee. At the time he was less than 10 yards away. I'm no fan of Ronaldo's but you can hardly blame him for defending his mate.)

Rooney stamped on a player's balls, and he got sent off. Fans would be right to crucify him as they did Beckham in 1998. It would be a miscarriage of justice if Ronaldo were persecuted out of the EPL just because of it (the league needs all the flair it can get at the moment anyway).

Rooney's talent is remarkable - this is the wakeup call he needed. Let's hope it's the one that he heeded.

Dave said...
Not sure what you were watching mate - I didn't see rooney stamp on anybody. All I saw was him trying to stay on his feet whilst 2 or 3 portuguese tried to pull him down and then he got sent off for it. There was no intentional stamp. Ronaldo was petulant for the whole match and I never like to see players try and get others into trouble. Personally I hope Rooney gives him a hiding in training!

whubris said...
Well, from what I've read most others would agree that it was a stamp. IMO he was frustrated at being heavily hassled by the Portuguese (yeah, I thought it was a foul against him too). When I first saw it I was shocked by the direct red, but the more I watch the replays, the more I'm certain it was a deliberate stamp.

Anyway, putting that aside, I certainly agree with you on Ronaldo's personality. He's quite an unlikeable little turd. (So is Rooney for that matter.)

Ultimately if your opinion is that Rooney deliberately stamped the opponent, I don't think you can place any blame at all on Ronaldo's actions and Rooney has only himself to blame. If one of my mates was to stamp on another of my mates' balls, I wouldn't think twice, I'd bloody deck him, teammate or not.

On the other hand if you think it was accidental then, yes, Ronaldo acted unsportingly, but I don't think we should all be filled with horror that a very young player should act like a shite to one of his opponents, whether he's a club teammate or not.

My point is really this: assuming Rooney stamped on the player, which I think he did, he is solely responsible for the red card.

The wink? A cunt of a thing to do but to me it doesn't take away from Rooney's responsibility.

Anyway here's some other thoughts on the matter, it does seem to be a matter of personal opinion.

Dave said...
Anon - Grosso for Italy is just as debatable as Ronaldo for Portugal - some objective aussies even consider that it may have been a penalty. Also wasn't Australia's destiny as much in Schwarzer's hands as England's was Robinson's? Don't see the difference mate - Australia lost by a penalty and so did England.